Test the health of your home with a REEP home energy audit!

Local Climate Change Action -After passing a Climate Inheritance Resolution in February of 2017, the City of Grand Marais recently hired a Climate Action Coordinator. His name is Shane Steele and he will be coordinating City and County efforts to create a Climate Action Plan. To learn more, read the Existing Climate Conditions Report, created by the Great Plains Institute, 2017.

2018 Builder & Contractor Workshop - Saturday, February 10

Twenty-three local builders & contractors attended this annual workshop. We'd like to thank the instructor Andy Schreder and the workshop sponsors: Cook County EDA, Arrowhead Electric Cooperative, InFaith Community Foundation, Sawtooth Lumber, Buck's Hardware, Cook County Home Center and the Cook County Chamber.

It was a beautiful day and we had a great turn out. Thank you to Brian Bennett of Outback Solar Electric, who presented the group with a Solar Primer before we headed out on the tour. Participants were able to experience five different solar photovoltaic (pv) or solar heating systems and talk with the home owners about their personal experiences living with and installing renewable energy systems for their homes or businesses.

The Local Energy Project would also like to thank the Cook County Community Fund, InFaith Community Foundation, Solbakken on Superior for providing van transportation and also to Voyageur Brewing Company who donated beverages to all of the tour participants and home volunteers.

The Nordic Nature Group helps pass Climate Inheritance Resolution!

The Nordic Nature Group successfully introduced their youth climate
report card to the Grand Marais City Council in conjunction with iMatter
Youth Movement on February 22nd. There were 50 people in attendance at
the meeting to support the youth naturalists for taking the lead on
climate change.

Their overall grade on how the city is currently combating climate change: D+!

After presenting the report card, the team introduced three important actions the city could take to get that grade up:

1. Create a climate action plan that would reduce our greenhouse gas
emissions to levels that would protect our children and grandchildren in
the community from the effects of climate destruction. 2. Begin creating this climate action plan within three months and complete it as soon as possible. 3. Find a way to include the youth voice in decision making for things that have to do with climate change and the environment.

The council unanimously moved to pass a Climate Inheritance Resolution
that represents a commitment to creating a climate action plan in the
next year and working to improve the city's current grade.